Biological Trace Element Research最新文献

This study investigated the associations among serum and placental trace element concentrations, major uterine pathogens isolated from lochia, and reproductive performance during the early postpartum period in cows. Placental samples collected immediately after parturition and blood and lochia samples obtained on days 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 postpartum from 36 Simmental cows. The primary uterine pathogens identified were Trueperella pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Fusobacterium necrophorum, and Prevotella melaninogenica. Cows with pathogen isolation on consecutive sampling days were classified as infected (IC), whereas cows with no pathogen isolation were classified as non-infected (NIC). Serum Mn, Se, Fe, and Cu concentrations were higher in NIC (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) than those in IC. However, serum Zn level was higher in IC than NIC. No significant group differences were detected in placental element contents. These findings indicate that alterations in trace element status may influence uterine defense mechanisms and subsequently shape postpartum reproductive performance. Regular monitoring of trace element profiles could therefore support the early detection of imbalances and enable timely interventions to reduce uterine infection risk. Future integrative studies evaluating mineral dynamics across serum, placenta, and lochia alongside microbial colonization may improve understanding of postpartum uterine infections and guide herd-level reproductive management strategies to enhance reproductive performance.

Cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloys have broad applications in dental practice because of their mechanical strength and durability. However, the corrosive oral environment promotes ion release, raising concerns about toxicity. This study assessed the cytotoxic, oxidative stress, and inflammatory effects of ions released from Co-Cr alloys. Co-Cr alloy specimens were subjected to a six-month immersion test in artificial saliva, followed by quantification of released ions via Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Cytotoxicity was assessed in human fibroblast cells, and systemic toxicity was evaluated in male mice (n = 20), divided into control and Co-Cr alloy released ions treated groups. Results revealed a progressive release of Co and Cr ions, peaking at three months. The cytotoxicity assay showed reduced fibroblast viability accompanied by a 2-fold upregulation of the pro-apoptotic marker (Bax) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, along with a 5-fold increase in interleukin-6 expression. Furthermore, Co-Cr alloy released ions induced a significant increase in oxidative damage, as evidenced by elevated thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and DNA frequency breakage. Antioxidants defenses, including glutathione reductase, catalase, and reduced glutathione, were significantly suppressed in hepatic and renal tissues as compared to the control group. Serum biochemical markers revealed impaired hepatic and renal function, accompanied by dyslipidemia. Histopathological analysis confirmed inflammatory infiltration, hepatocellular degeneration, and tubular alterations. Overall, Co-Cr alloy released ions elicit cytotoxic, oxidative, and inflammatory responses at both cellular and systemic levels. These findings highlight the potential health risks of long-term Co-Cr restorations and emphasize the need for the development of safer alternative biomaterials.

The utilization and toxicity of titanium have become global concerns, primarily owing to the increasing prevalence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TNPs) in the environment. The toxicity of TNPs is pivotal in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized by the formation of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangle associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study assessed behavioral changes in mice triggered by TNPs, focusing on β-amyloid aggregation, DNA damage, inflammation, oxidative stress (OS), and histopathological abnormalities. In addition, the neuroprotective efficacy of pristimerin (PST) against TNP-induced neurotoxicity was evaluated. Mice were orally administered TNPs (5 mg/kg body weight) and treated with PST (12 mg/kg body weight) for 65 days. Spatial working memory was assessed using object recognition, Morris water maze, T-, and Y-maze evaluations. TNPs markedly increased β-amyloid accumulation, altered cytokine levels, heightened DNA damage, decreased antioxidant enzymatic activity, and elevated OS while impairing cognitive memory capacity in the murine brain cortex (CTX) and hippocampus (HPC). In conclusion, TNPs may exhibit significant neurotoxicity following exposure, and PST may serve as a potential protective mechanism against neuronal degeneration.

Fluorine is a trace element that is beneficial to human health. However, long-term and excessive fluoride exposure can damage bone and teeth, as well as the cardiovascular, nervous, and reproductive systems, etc. Since 2001, a growing body of evidences suggests that excessive fluoride exposure is associated with cardiovascular diseases. Although some original studies have focused on this topic, general and narrative reviews are rare. This article summarizes the effects of fluoride on blood pressure/hypertension, vascular sclerosis (mainly atherosclerosis), and myocardial/ cardiac damages based on epidemiologic investigations, in vivo and in vitro mechanistic studies. Most studies suggest that excessive fluoride exposure can initiate and aggravate hypertension through endothelial dysfunction (ED) manifested as abnormal endothelium metabolism, endothelium apoptosis, hyper-permeability, and impaired vasomotor function (imbalance of endothelin-1/nitric oxide), oxidative stress (over generation of ROS), and abnormal activities of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system covered up-regulation of AT1R, AT2R, ACE3 and down-regulation of ACE2. Besides ED, excessive fluoride exposure induced and accelerated atherosclerosis via lipid metabolism disorders (elevated plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, etc. levels), up-regulation of adhesion molecules (P-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1), over-proliferation and phenotypic changes of vascular smooth muscle cells. Except for oxidative stress, excessive fluoride exposure caused myocardial and cardiac functional damage via myocardium injuries, inflammation (IL-6 and IL-10 increased), and mitochondrial dysfunction (ATP and ATPase decreased), then presenting electrocardiographic abnormalities. The review will help to clarify harms of fluoride on the cardiovascular system and provide basis for adjustments of drinking water standards.

Selenium-curcumin conjugated nanoparticles (curconSeNPs) were synthesized using an ascorbic acid-mediated reduction method to enhance the biofunctional stability of selenium and curcumin nanoforms. Selenium, an essential antioxidant micronutrient, attains improved bioavailability and reduced reactivity at the nanoscale, and its conjugation with curcumin further strengthens these advantages. The synthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), curcumin nanoparticles (CurNPs), and curconSeNPs were characterized for size distribution, morphology, elemental composition, surface charge, and functional groups. Conjugation reduced the hydrodynamic particle size from 71 nm (SeNPs) to 54 nm, while the optical band gap decreased from 2.13 eV to 1.61 eV, indicating altered electronic properties. SEM, TEM, and SAED analyses confirmed spherical nanoparticles with a rhombohedral crystal structure, and EDAX revealed clear signatures of selenium and oxygen. The lattice fringe spacing measured 5 nm for SeNPs and 10 nm for curconSeNPs. FTIR spectra verified the presence of curcumin and selenium functional groups, and SAED revealed additional biofunctional groups associated with the conjugate. CurconSeNPs exhibited enhanced colloidal stability, with a zeta potential of -35.6 mV compared with - 33 mV for SeNPs and - 12.3 mV for CurNPs. Acute oral toxicity studies in Wistar rats demonstrated a wide safety margin for all formulations, indicating their suitability for future biotherapeutic and nutraceutical applications.

Extended exposure to heavy metals, even at low concentrations, can negatively affect human semen quality and may contribute to male infertility. Therefore, this study was designed to provide firsthand information on the prevalence of elements in human seminal plasma and identify potential associations between levels of elements and semen quality parameters (motility, count, and morphology) of the Jordanian population. The concentrations of 17 elements in 97 seminal plasma samples were determined simultaneously using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Among all analyzed elements, ⁴⁸Ca and ⁵²Cr were found to be the most abundant in the seminal fluid. No significant associations were observed between the concentration of essential elements and sperm morphology or count. However, elevated concentrations of ¹¹⁵In and ¹¹⁴Cd were strongly associated with reduced sperm motility and abnormal sperm morphology, indicating their potential reproductive toxicity. Moreover, significant associations were observed between low sperm motility and higher concentrations of ⁵¹V and ⁷⁵As. Interestingly, semen samples with normal parameters exhibited higher levels of ⁶⁹Ga, whereas samples with reduced motility were associated with elevated levels of essential elements including ⁵⁵Mn, ⁵²Cr, and ⁴⁸Ca. The validation parameters showed good reliability for the ICP-MS method, with good linearity (R² ˃ 0.997), and relative standard deviations (%RSD) below 5% for all target elements. This study examined several elements that have not been previously reported in the literature regarding seminal fluid, thereby providing new insights and contributing novel data to the existing body of scientific knowledge.

Yeast biomass, the main protein source in distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), can be enriched with selenium (Se), enhancing the nutritional and functional value of this coproduct. Because Se deficiency affects large populations worldwide, Se-enriched yeasts represent a practical supplementation strategy, particularly in the organic form selenomethionine (SeMet), which is highly bioavailable. This study investigated Se accumulation and speciation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Thermosacc^® strain cultivated in corn hydrolysate under aerobic (AE0, AE200, AE400) and anaerobic (AN0, AN200, AN400) conditions, with Na₂SeO₃ concentrations of 0, 200, and 400 mg L⁻¹. Cell performance, total Se, organic Se, and SeMet were quantified. The highest Se accumulation occurred at 400 mg L⁻¹, while 200 mg L⁻¹ favored more efficient conversion into organic forms. Aerobic metabolism supported superior intracellular concentrations (total Se: 6.15 mg g⁻¹; organic Se: 3.47 mg g⁻¹; SeMet: 2.6 mg g⁻¹), exceeding values commonly reported for commercial Se-enriched yeasts (1-2 mg g⁻¹). Conversion efficiency into organic Se ranged from 53% to 79%, with intermediate Na₂SeO₃ supplementation yielding the most favorable balance between accumulation and transformation. These findings show that both Na₂SeO₃ dose and metabolic pathway strongly influence Se uptake and biotransformation. Cultivation in corn hydrolysate under aerobic conditions not only promoted higher SeMet formation but also reflects conditions relevant to industrial DDGS production. This approach provides a promising strategy to valorize an abundant ethanol coproduct into functional feed with improved selenium bioavailability and reduced risk of toxicity.